The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-19

Something New.


The love of the sensational is proba-
bly, given us at birth, for it has attended
our race from the beginning Of history,
and its existence in more than its pris-
tine vigor to-day may be accepted as a
fact in refutation of the doctrine of the
survival Of the fittest. In the days OF
old, when those Who sought ''to see and
hear something new" came together to
hear Paul, there seemed some excuse
for the passion, whether the crowd col
lected out of regard for philosopher or
apostle. But not even the gregarious
instinct can be pleaded in these days,
for as much delight is taken in the sto
len reading of a Beecher or Campbell
trial as in a sermon by Sam Jones.
When we so often reckon up the ser
vices rendered by the press, some count
should be made of the evils it entails on
perverse generation which is still seek
ing after something new. Truth and
decency and regard for consequences are
all sacrificed on the altar of the sensa
tionaI, and the reckless cruelty or i'm
the readers ears are made to tingle for
five minutes and his blood to resume its
youthful vivacity in his wearied heart
or brain.
The press disseminates knowledge,
and speech of Bismarck is read within
twenty-four hours by our Western farm
eis, who are warned of a war in Europe,
50 that they can plant the crop Of wheat
which will be required by the soldiers.
The thoughts of Tyndall and Huxley
are compared with those of Christian
bishops around the humblest fireside
and from these great fires the light j.
flashed SO widely that the darkest idea
may be frightened. But the heart and
conscience is too often left still darker
for the blaze which envelopes the brain
and the abnormal horrors which latel
times develop seem only too natura
when we realize the food which nour
ishes our criminals. The naturalist o.
the present day seai ches the farthes
bounds of space with eye and thought
is it strange that he doubts the exIs
tence of the Unknowable? When W,
use one arm entirely the other becomes
weak; is it wonderful that faith die
when thought and reason become arbi
tiers in every dispute?
Is il not to be feared that truth an(
justice will disappear when only the new
and sensational are valued? Is not tn,
preacher, who convinces by the SLOW
showing of daily life and earnest teach
ing, apt to feel his vocation gone wheI
he watches with dazed eyes the suddel
uprising Of meteors like Sam Jones ant
his compeers? Is not the steady growth
OF a small business something to be de
spised when we see the colossal fortune
daily reared as monuments to trucker,
and boldness in railway and mining cir
cles or on Wall street? Is not the editor
who preserves the decencies imposed O,
him bv respect for his own name and re
gard for his readers, to be left behind b.
the brilliant talker who illustrates tn
new school? Are We not all in DANCE
OF installing meteoric flashes for tn
light which best illustrates the goo
mans path? Would not Washington
be now considered ''sIow" politician,
poor general, and a statesman who va
any thing but brilliant ?" Have We no
all become lot Of Parsees who worshi
a blaze fed by human hands, instead o
the glory which gives life to the world
And is not the daily newspaper the ne,
Koran of another alse prophet when
seeks to subserve the highest to the low
est. to feed vulgar cravings instead Of
thirst born of the soul-to hide the use
full under wealth of unwholesom
sweetse And is not the pulpit recrear
to its holy mission when it bids us DO,
10 the ideal instead of the eternal I
worship the fire instead of the sun?
the new necessarily better than the Ole
or the unrest of the brain preferable I
the peace of the soul?